Keythorpe Hall

Military site

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Detailed History

Keythorpe Hall is a large country house and estate, 10 miles to the east of Leicester and close to the village of Tugby. It had all the features necessary to make it an excellent location for a USAAF Rest Home.

For USAAF combat air crews in the UK, home leave was impossible. So the doctors responsible for their well-being believed the next best thing would be Rest Homes, using the tranquillity, comfort and freedom from military routine achievable at English country houses or hotels.

Aircrew could, at least once during their tour, come for a week away from the horrors of war. After which it was hoped they would return to their units, refreshed.

On arrival, they were provided with civilian clothes. Uniforms only appeared for the evening dinner. Air Service Command supplied an administrative commanding officer, an adjutant and enlisted helpers. A Medical Officer, rotated each week from operational units, provided any necessary emergency care or medical advice.

American Red Cross girls acted as hostesses, supervising the recreation and dining. The American Red Cross also employed and managed the civilian staff needed to run the house and maintain the grounds.

Keythorpe Hall was opened as a USAAF Rest Home on 26th July 1944. It was set up to accommodate 30 enlisted men and was allocated to the 2nd Bomb Division.

After the war it reverted to private ownership. In 1977, its architectural significance was recognised with the grant of Grade II listing.

Revisions

Date
ContributorMikeO
Changes
Sources

Report to the Surgeon, HQ Eighth Air Force dated 11 Dec 1944; 'Flak' Houses Then and Now, Thomas, After the Battle